Why shoot film - a short film about film users

[cliveh]

Maris, how do you feel about the hybrid list above your post? Dinesh informs they are digital photographers.

 

[Dinesh]

So how do you feel about the hybrid list in the post above? Dinesh informs they are digital photographers.

Incorrect. I said that they have used a hybrid process.

 

[cliveh]

You're kidding right?

There are many great photographers who are using digital. If you cannot find them, it's because you choose not to.

Then don't quote hybrid, I want to know your list of great digital photographers.

 

[batwister]

...we may end up with people taking digital pictures of photographs (by camera or scanner) and displaying the re-calculated digital results as photographs. That's a deceit I won't buy if I'm going to stand up for photography.

Most who shoot film now are already doing this? But agree with the sentiment. 'A picture of a photograph' is a bit daft, or at least sounds daft.

But worse, and I can imagine this happening in the not to distant future, is Health and Safety™ taking hold. Chemicals... hazardous, hazardous chemicals. I remember my sister licking a family photograph when she was a toddler and my parents panicking, not about the germs from hundreds of fingerprints, but about 'the chemicals'.

When you think about it, you could more easily 'take your eye out' with the edge of a printed picture. Surprised I haven't done it myself in fact...

 

[Dinesh]

Then don't quote hybrid, I want to know your list of great digital photographers.

Read my quote "There are many great photographers who are using digital".

 

[Nuff]

Getting back on topic, I relate to a lot to the opinions in this short film or advert. And most general public will too. Especially to the wedding photographer who just wants to spend time with his family and sailboat, out in the open instead of in being stuck in a darkroom or in front of computer screen.

I started shooting film for many of the reasons mentioned in this flick. But the most important are the results. The look I want to achieve and the viewfinders which aid me in composing etc... I couldn't care less about the chemicals vs electrons etc. In the end, everything I shoot is shown on computer screen (since my audience is all over the world, not locked away in my apartment).

Most of the general public aren't luddites and they are not interested in the arguments people on this forum get into. Actually, it would push an average person away. Most people only care about getting from point A to point B with the least effort possible, not how it's done.

 

[adelorenzo]

I feel like maybe some people are trying to read too much into this?

I don't think this was meant to be some great treatise on the nature of art and the human condition nor is it claiming that these are the world's best photographers.

It's a couple of guys who own a film lab and went on a road trip talking to some people who shoot film about why they shoot film. I don't know but I'd bet that most of the people they talked to are people who send them film for processing.

Oh yeah, and I thought it was great!

 

[PKM-25]

Getting back on topic, I relate to a lot to the opinions in this short film or advert. And most general public will too. Especially to the wedding photographer who just wants to spend time with his family and sailboat, out in the open instead of in being stuck in a darkroom or in front of computer screen.

I started shooting film for many of the reasons mentioned in this flick. But the most important are the results. The look I want to achieve and the viewfinders which aid me in composing etc... I couldn't care less about the chemicals vs electrons etc. In the end, everything I shoot is shown on computer screen (since my audience is all over the world, not locked away in my apartment).

Most of the general public aren't luddites and they are not interested in the arguments people on this forum get into. Actually, it would push an average person away. Most people only care about getting from point A to point B with the least effort possible, not how it's done.

Yeah, whatever man, really....

Being stuck in a darkroom....?...did you really just say that? And about that global audience you are in love with via Flickr? No way man, I value my work and so do the people who buy it and would never pay for some computer print digital garbage.

*You* think the way you about photography do based on a bunch of factors, but not everyone does and because they are different, does not make them a luddite or wrong.

I want a LOT more out of photography than a bunch of empty circle-jerk like praise you get tons of on Flickr....really man, good luck with that. APUG is not a A to B kind of place, lots of people care about the journey called life, photography often being a big part of it, not what design will be on their casket.

By the way, I like the film any good press is *really* good press when it comes to film...

 

[Nuff]

Yeah, whatever man, really....

Being stuck in a darkroom....?...did you really just say that? And about that global audience you are in love with via Flickr? No way man, I value my work and so do the people who buy it and would never pay for some computer print digital garbage.

*You* think the way you about photography do based on a bunch of factors, but not everyone does and because they are different, does not make them a luddite or wrong.

I want a LOT more out of photography than a bunch of empty circle-jerk like praise you get tons of on Flickr....really man, good luck with that. APUG is not a A to B kind of place, lots of people care about the journey called life, photography often being a big part of it, not what design will be on their casket.

By the way, I like the film any good press is *really* good press when it comes to film...

Ha, how nice to assume and make baseless remarks. Without even knowing their person or their background or even looking at that so called flickr page...
By the way, if you talk that way in real life I feel sorry for you.

Now considering that my immediate family lives on 4 continents and a number of countries on those continents, flickr comes really handy. I don't mind making it public and available to everyone.
But before you start criticizing someone for having a flickr page, you should take down your website?

As for me criticising darkrooms, I'm not sure if you are reading impaired, but I also criticised computers too. In the same sentence never the less. My guess is that you didn't make that far? It seems a lot of people are a bit of hypocrites here and should take a good hard look at themselves before criticising others. Few people on their own free time made a video about their love for film. But it seems that for a lot of people here that's not good enough, even though they have made less effort than the skinny jeans wearing kids. Instead, they need to vent about it and push more people away. Too many grumpy old men around here maybe?

Besides, I'm not sure why you got so defensive and feel the need to attack others all of sudden, did I step on your toe or something?

 

[pdeeh]

oh excellent, more examples of makes APUG great: openness to diversity, tolerance, lack of mean-spiritedness, generosity towards others ...

 

[markbarendt]

Fun stuff. Thanks for the link Whitey

 

[PKM-25]

Ha, how nice to assume and make baseless remarks. Without even knowing their person or their background or even looking at that so called flickr page...
By the way, if you talk that way in real life I feel sorry for you.

Now considering that my immediate family lives on 4 continents and a number of countries on those continents, flickr comes really handy. I don't mind making it public and available to everyone.
But before you start criticizing someone for having a flickr page, you should take down your website?

As for me criticising darkrooms, I'm not sure if you are reading impaired, but I also criticised computers too. In the same sentence never the less. My guess is that you didn't make that far? It seems a lot of people are a bit of hypocrites here and should take a good hard look at themselves before criticising others. Few people on their own free time made a video about their love for film. But it seems that for a lot of people here that's not good enough, even though they have made less effort than the skinny jeans wearing kids. Instead, they need to vent about it and push more people away. Too many grumpy old men around here maybe?

Besides, I'm not sure why you got so defensive and feel the need to attack others all of sudden, did I step on your toe or something?

Sorry but I am really under the weather at the moment, I do a lot to promote film use outside of the web...not everyone is on the web, thankfully.

Moving on now...

 

[MDR]

What I am missing in this film is the magical part and since it was Lab Guys that made the film I wonder why they didn't include the Darkroom and the magic that happens there. "where once was only a white paper suddenly an image emerged it felt like magic" The darkroom is still one of the most magical places to me and one of the reasons I like analogue so much I seemingly can create something out of nothing this is also one of the big differences between analogue and digital digital gives you an image as soon as the shutter closes no magic there. Honestly I would have preferred an old or young foggy who waxes poetics about the magic of film. Film can't compete on a logical level with digital only on the emotional one and the enthusiasm of some of those old/young film foggies can catch customers on an emotional level and draw them in. Also many of the chosen photographers come across as dorks or hipsters that many people can't relate to imo.

 

[Nuff]

Sorry but I am really under the weather at the moment, I do a lot to promote film use outside of the web...not everyone is on the web, thankfully.

Moving on now...

That's cool, everyone has bad day. Anyway, I did enjoy few of the photos you have posted on your website.

 

[PKM-25]

That's cool, everyone has bad day. Anyway, I did enjoy few of the photos you have posted on your website.

Thanks for understanding, seriously felt like crappola when I wrote that. Film needs good vibes, regardless of origin.

What I am missing in this film is the magical part and since it was Lab Guys that made the film I wonder why they didn't include the Darkroom and the magic that happens there.

What ever was not included could very well be done by someone else. I have been sitting on the couch most of the day fighting a cold, I just turned on the Food Network and the aspect of how much the passion in a kitchen resembles the hands on of darkroom work really speaks to me.

If you wanted to really pull people into the magic of the darkroom in a film, a fun and creative way in which to do that would be to produce a duality of a chef and a black and white printer resembling each other. How cool would it be to show John Sexton in his darkroom and Patrick O'Connell kitchen bound in his cow print pants in the same film, doing what they and we love...?

 

[StoneNYC]

Thanks, and I would agree with you about Burtynsky, but not the others.

He forgot to mention me... LOL

 

[MDR]

Thanks for understanding, seriously felt like crappola when I wrote that. Film needs good vibes, regardless of origin.




What ever was not included could very well be done by someone else. I have been sitting on the couch most of the day fighting a cold, I just turned on the Food Network and the aspect of how much the passion in a kitchen resembles the hands on of darkroom work really speaks to me.

If you wanted to really pull people into the magic of the darkroom in a film, a fun and creative way in which to do that would be to produce a duality of a chef and a black and white printer resembling each other. How cool would it be to show John Sexton in his darkroom and Patrick O'Connell kitchen bound in his cow print pants in the same film, doing what they and we love...?

The late Bob Carlos Clarke would have been a great TV Chef/Photographer he was virtuoso of both and no to forget the babes he would have shown in his show
I also agree that someone else could do the things that were not included in the movie I was just a bit astonished that a movie made by lab guys doesn't show the lab that's all the rest is just waxing poetics from me.

+1 for your Idea Kitchen Photographer let's write a treatment and send it to Kodak/Impossible.

 

[batwister]

I just turned on the Food Network and the aspect of how much the passion in a kitchen resembles the hands on of darkroom work really speaks to me.

I can relate to that in a different way, summed up by Werner Herzog:

“Our civilization is starving for great images.”

I really love some of the great darkroom artists and agree, even though John Sexton's images don't do much for me, I'd love to see him pottering about in the darkroom - because this is the place where he really becomes the artist he is. I think you intuitively get that. But (and I've expressed this before) I feel that there is a reaction amongst analog photographers to retreat to the darkroom, when - with Herzog's sentiment in mind - more vital at this cultural, political, economic moment is a deeper interaction with what is happening (visually) in our world. And this applies to the young computer bound as well as the old fashioned shut-ins, who really, really just don't get out enough. I personally don't see any difference between a digital photographer 'shooting from the hip' thinking he/she can remedy mediocrity on the computer, and analog photographers who do the same in the darkroom.

There is no inherent value in the traditional image beyond its purity of means, and the purest way to make photographs in turn is to show people the world with a direct intensity that forces viewers to ask questions about it, not the material.

Speaking of Herzog. The other great visually motivated film maker, Kubrick, made so many subtle references to his craft which cinema aficionados pick up on - especially the Shining - but these things are purposefully and masterfully rendered incidental to the majority, in what is his most populist film. I wish more analog photographers could let their intentionality of craft speak a lot quieter in the way great film makers are able to do, allowing the content/narrative/message/whatever you call it, to take center stage.

PKM-25 - you often leave comments here urging people to just go out and shoot and I get the impression the reason you're not exhibiting around the globe, publishing books etc. (which you seem to want to do) is because you value the craft above all else. There's a lot of evidence on APUG that there's nothing more inhibiting.

 

[PKM-25]

PKM-25 - you often leave comments here urging people to just go out and shoot and I get the impression the reason you're not exhibiting around the globe, publishing books etc. (which you seem to want to do) is because you value the craft above all else. There's a lot of evidence on APUG that there's nothing more inhibiting.

No, the life and the images I make because of the life I live are by far the driving force of my motivation, not the method. But the method is indeed a deeply seated one, kind of a hunch or gut feeling that one has when they know they are onto something really good.

It took time to break into what puts food on my table now and it will take equally as long to break into fine art to the point to where it is 100% of what puts the same food on the table. I exhibit locally and that is not a short shrift by any means since I have friends and acquaintances who’s net worths are in the upper 1% of the global population….and they love good art. For example, one couple who I have known for over 10 years and has a large estate on a lakeshore hired me last Spring to shoot a series of black and white fine art images of the view of their abode from across the lake. This meant one shot that represented each season, I am waiting on enough snow to finish the last image. So far they love what I am doing which is good, because they have a net worth of 2.7 billion. At some point, when I break in, I might likely be pulled out into other venues on what you would consider an international scale, but for now, I am far better off where I am.

As far as books, I have had 4 titles published in the past 6 years in which my images represent anywhere from 25% to 50% of the total of the book. I am shooting one book right now and have been for the past few years and I am nearly done with the Kodachrome edit. I held off on that for a lot of reasons, one of which was personal. After fighting a cold for a few days, I went out and about and ran errands, got lunch and finished a roll of film in my M3….I feel pretty good today, I think I will fire up the darkroom and print.

My wife wants to see a print of the attached photo of a peninsula of ice on a lake we hiked near, so I will print it....

Either way, thanks for the reminder that I need to be heard from less on this site and more through other means, like exhibiting world wide, perhaps I'll log back in when that is about to happen.

 

[StoneNYC]

No, the life and the images I make because of the life I live are by far the driving force of my motivation, not the method. But the method is indeed a deeply seated one, kind of a hunch or gut feeling that one has when they know they are onto something really good.

It took time to break into what puts food on my table now and it will take equally as long to break into fine art to the point to where it is 100% of what puts the same food on the table. I exhibit locally and that is not a short shrift by any means since I have friends and acquaintances who’s net worths are in the upper 1% of the global population….and they love good art. For example, one couple who I have known for over 10 years and has a large estate on a lakeshore hired me last Spring to shoot a series of black and white fine art images of the view of their abode from across the lake. This meant one shot that represented each season, I am waiting on enough snow to finish the last image. So far they love what I am doing which is good, because they have a net worth of 2.7 billion. At some point, when I break in, I might likely be pulled out into other venues on what you would consider an international scale, but for now, I am far better off where I am.

As far as books, I have had 4 titles published in the past 6 years in which my images represent anywhere from 25% to 50% of the total of the book. I am shooting one book right now and have been for the past few years and I am nearly done with the Kodachrome edit. I held off on that for a lot of reasons, one of which was personal. After fighting a cold for a few days, I went out and about and ran errands, got lunch and finished a roll of film in my M3….I feel pretty good today, I think I will fire up the darkroom and print.

My wife wants to see a print of the attached photo of a peninsula of ice on a lake we hiked near, so I will print it....

Either way, thanks for the reminder that I need to be heard from less on this site and more through other means, like exhibiting world wide, perhaps I'll log back in when that is about to happen.

But then how can I harass you when I want to geek out about photos if you're not online?

Maybe one of these days I'll actually be able to publish at least one book! Lol

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I could name lots of really good ones, but at the moment can’t think of any really good digital photographers. There must be some, can someone enlighten me with a few names I could google?

Maggie Taylor.

Anyways, refreshing film. Thank you. On another refreshing note, I took my wife into a camera shop in local mall this evening to get pics taken for her passport and a kid no more than 15 was walking out with a Pentax K1000 around his neck and a handful of HP5. I don't know who was grinning more, me or him.